PROJECTED LINEUP: Oilers at Stars (Game 1)

DALLAS, TX – The Edmonton Oilers will go with the same lineup from their Game 7 victory over the Canucks when they open the Western Conference Final against the Dallas Stars tonight in Game 1 at American Airlines Center.

"It takes a lot to get to this point," Ryan Nugent-Hopkins said following Thursday's optional morning skate.

"We're definitely excited for the opportunity and have a little bit more experience since we went through this two years ago. It didn't go the way we wanted, so we're hungry for it, but we're just excited to be in this position."

Nugent-Hopkins' 16 points through the first 12 games of the playoffs are a new playoff career-high for the Burnaby, BC product after coming off arguably two of the most impactful games for the longest-tenured Oilers, picking up the game-winning goal and adding an assist in Edmonton's Game 7 triumph over Vancouver to go with a goal and two assists in their Game 6 victory that helped keep their season alive.

"I think the more times you get into the playoffs, the more you just get used to playing at this time of year," he added. "And I think a couple of years ago, it feels like you play two rounds and it's a lot of hockey and a lot more hockey.

"But I don't think that's the feeling in this room. We have a lot more work left to be done, and we want to keep playing as long as we can."

Netminder Stuart Skinner will go head-to-head against Jake Oettinger after bouncing back for Edmonton in Games 6 & 7 of the Second Round, going 2-0 with a 1.50 goals-against average and .907 save percentage to help the Oilers come back from a 3-2 deficit versus Vancouver and advance to the WCF for the second time in three years.

"I think Stu would have found his game whether we continued to play him or gave him that reset, so I'm not necessarily thinking that it's just a result of giving him a couple of days off for him to work in practice and think about how he'd been playing," Head Coach Kris Knoblauch said.

"He quite likely would have got to his high-level play no matter what we did. I'd seen it numerous times before in the regular season, and if there was a dip in his performance, he usually responded and played very well shortly after. The reason why I'm saying that is because, from my experience watching Stu through my time here with Edmonton, he's been pretty darn good. He's been a solid goaltender and an almost-elite goaltender."

In the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Skinner is 7-3 with a 2.87 GAA, .881 SV% and one shutout in 10 games and will be the last line of defence for the Oilers against a deep Dallas team that can attack with all four forward lines and has game-breakers in each position – perhaps none more than Oettinger, who's been excellent in these playoffs with an 8-5 record, 2.09 GAA, .918 SV% and two shutouts in 13 games.

"[Depth] is very important," Knoblauch said. "You look at Dallas's lineup and ultimately, they really have no weaknesses. They've got a lot of good hockey players and the chemistry seems to be working and it's important that everyone's contributing. Usually, you can look back at a series or a game and if you win or lose, your best players usually have to be your best players. But over a seven-game series and against a team like Dallas, you just can't rely on those guys, only the ones bringing it every night. You need everybody.

"I think we took some steps in that Vancouver series, especially our fourth line playing a lot of key minutes for us and key situations. Going into the series, we're going to need all four lines and all six defencemen playing really well for us."

Knoblauch mentioned on Wednesday that his team's defence pairs would remain the same from their shuffling ahead of Game 5 against the Canucks, and the blueline will be tasked with the forwards of helping shut down Dallas' fast transition game that begins at the back with their fast and mobile defence core that includes Miro Heiskanen and Thomas Harley.

"A lot of the transition game goes into the five-man unit defending, having a good F3 and being above their skill," Darnell Nurse said. "Obviously they have a lot of defencemen that are fast and like to get into the play, so there's an importance on the D making good reads, but at the same time, forwards need to be above those D men when they're jumping into the play.

"When you're playing at the team that's good off the rush, a lot of the times it takes all five guys out there when that puck turns over to be aware and be conscious and get back."

Forward Dylan Holloway will look to use his speed to help shut down Dallas' transition, but the 22-year-old said pre-game that he's focused on keeping his second-line chemistry with Leon Draisaitl and Evander Kane going after an impactful series together in the Second Round against the Canucks.

Holloway had a goal and assist over Edmonton's back-to-back victories in Games 6 & 7 that eliminated the Canucks and will be the counter to Dallas' young talent in Wyatt Johnston and Logan Stankoven, who've both carved out important depth roles with the Stars.

"It's been great. Obviously, [Leon's] probably the best linemate I've ever played with, so it's just cool to be a part of," he said. "So you kind of see how he plays the game and just trying to read off him. He's been great to me. He's been talking to me a bunch, talks on the bench, talks to me on the off days and just kind of gives me little tips and pointers here and there. So it's pretty big for my confidence playing with a guy like him, and I'm just trying to feed him the puck and get open."

View the Oilers Projected Lineup for Game 1 vs. Dallas below:

Nugent-Hopkins - McDavid - Hyman
Holloway - Draisaitl - Kane
Foegele - McLeod - Ryan
Janmark - Carrick - Brown

Ekholm - Bouchard
Nurse - Desharnais
Kulak - Ceci

Skinner